What's happening at Control-Care...

As the year draws to a close, we reflect on the opportunities we've had to innovate, collaborate, and automate together. At Control-Care, we're passionate about driving efficiency and transforming the way businesses operate, but none of it would be possible without the trust and support of our clients, partners, and team.

This festive season, we wish you and your loved ones a time filled with joy, peace, and endless possibilities for the year ahead. May your celebrations be as seamless as your workflows and as bright as the innovations yet to come.

Here’s to a prosperous, productive, and automated 2025! 🌟

Warm wishes,
The Control-Care Team

Control-Care has been chosen to provide advanced antisurge and performance control solutions for ammonia (NH3) and carbon dioxide (CO2) compressors for the CACTUS project. This groundbreaking initiative marks a significant step in the global effort to decarbonize industrial processes. 

Control-Care's scope of work includes the supply of project materials, project management, engineering services, dynamic simulation, factory acceptance testing (FAT), site acceptance testing (SAT), commissioning, and training. This comprehensive involvement will ensure the seamless integration and optimal performance of the compressor control systems.

Being part of the CACTUS project aligns with our mission to drive energy efficiency and support sustainable industrial practices, we are honored to participate in this prestigious initiative and to help facilitate a significant step toward achieving global decarbonization goals.

Pre-commissioning and commissioning work of the unit control panels controlling two screw compressor units including the auxiliary systems. 

Instrumentation and Controls (I&C) activities for control panel checkout, cold and hot commissioning and compressor start up. Activities included testing and commissioning of instrument loops, switches, valves, variable speed gear and e-motor. Including compressor start-up and shutdown sequence testing.

Each compressor unit operates individually, independent and includes following main items:
- Motor as main drive with fixed speed, speed increasing gear,  each train consists of two screw compressor stages
- A unit control panel, equipped with Siemens PCS7 type PLC system with local HMI
- Fire and gas detection system, Hima HiMatrix ESD system

Three PLC based BMS control system panels for three dryers.

Upgrade and reverse engineering of three existing Burner Management Systems (BMS), by replacing the obsolete Siemens S7-300 (Step7) control system with Siemens S7-1200 (TIA Portal) control system including the local panels.

The logic is implemented on Siemens F-PLC 1215 hardware and SIMATIC S7 TIA Portal software platforms. The hardware platform communicates through Profibus DP with the DCS for visualization/operation purposes, and ethernet communication to Remote Fail Safe I/O, and Profinet communication to the Fuel-Air-Ratio controller (KS98-2) and through WinCC to a dedicated HMI TP1200 Comfort with operator displays

Control system replacement for two stage steam turbine driven axial air compressor.

Control-Care's engineers were responsible for design, engineering and replacement of the existing control system, (pre)commissioning and start-up assistance.

Control-Care’s steam turbine application (STCA), antisurge application (ACA) and performance control application (PCA) have been implemented within the plant's automation system (DCS).

We are delighted to announce that Control-Care, represented by Tom Langezaal will be a featured speaker at RoTIC, where he will share his expertise on Turbomachinery Controls and Monitoring within Plant Automation Systems (DCS).
His presentation will offer valuable insights into the latest turbomachinery controls advancements in Distributed Control Systems (DCS), focusing on how automation and monitoring technologies can drive operational efficiency, improve safety, and reduce downtime.

Field and commissioning services for 7 compressors for  an FPSO going to an ultra-deepwater salt field, offshore Brazil.

Control-Care service activities included:  
Cause and effect testing, sequence testing and general commissioning activities to get unit ready for the clean up run. Activities included additional logic for water injection to cool the machine during a nitrogen run.

Compressor control UCP equipment included:
Rockwell Allen Bradley redundant ControlLogix PLC with regular IO and redundant safety IO modules. FactoryTalk HMI implemented on Stahl HMI’s

Field and commissioning services for 7 compressors for  an FPSO going to an ultra-deepwater salt field, offshore Brazil.

Control-Care service activities included:  
Cause and effect testing, sequence testing and general commissioning activities to get unit ready for the clean up run. Activities included additional logic for water injection to cool the machine during a nitrogen run.

Compressor control UCP equipment included:
Rockwell Allen Bradley redundant ControlLogix PLC with regular IO and redundant safety IO modules. FactoryTalk HMI implemented on Stahl HMI’s.

Control-Care's scope included full refurbishment of the UCP, which controls two centrifugal compressors on board of the platform.

Obsolete PLC system is replaced by platform’s standard ABB DCS with Control-Care's compressor antisurge control applications inside and full rejuvenation of UCP including the vibration monitoring system.

 Project FAT successfully completed and commissioning and start up expected in late 2024.

Control-Care's Surge Detection System for a centrifugal compressor. The system produces compressor surge detection alarms to DCS and MCC for the Main Air Compressor.

Equipment and applications: Control-Care Surge Detection System (simplex), MAN ES centrifugal air compressor, Yokogawa Centum VP DCS.
Control-Care's compressor surge detection systems are available in 

• Simplex - one out of one "1oo1" configuration,
• Redundant - two out of two "2oo2" configuration,
• Triple redundant - two out of three "2oo3" configuration.

Replacement of an obsolete hydrogen recycle compressor controller with Control-Care's antisurge control (ACA) solution within DCS.

Replacing existing obsolete Hartmann&Braun Protronic PS controller with an integrated solution using a C300-20 Honeywell Experion release 520.2 system. Control-Care scope included Honeywell's C300 cabinet hardware and supply of compressor software logic and Control-Care's  antisurge control application (ACA).

Control-Care's Antisurge Control Application (ACA) for hydrogen recycle gas compressor, implemented within C300-20 Honeywell Experion release 520.2.

Control-Care is expanding to the Middle East!

Control-Care's vision knows no bounds and therefore we are spreading our wings and establishing a strong presence in the Middle East.
Our offices in Abu Dhabi (UAE), Al Khobar (Saudi Arabia), Doha (Qatar), and Manama (Bahrain) will open their doors on January 1, 2024 and are a testament to our dedication of serving you better. This strategic move enables us to provide our solutions and services catered specifically to the Middle East market.
Together, let's embark on this thrilling chapter and create a world of endless turbomachinery control possibilities in the Middle East!

Thanks to our valued customers, suppliers and business partners!

Wishing you a festive season filled with Health, Joy and Laughter!

Cheers to a Fantastic 2024!

Functional and safety testing of the logic and controllers, surge verification/validation and controller tuning.

Commissioning and site support services included functional and safety testing of the logic and controllers, surge verification and validation and controller tuning for
- 3 air compressors, 6 stage integrally geared type with interstage cooling,
- 3 nitrogen compressors, 7 stage integrally geared type with interstage cooling,
- 2 reinjection compressors, single stage barrel compressors.

Each unit has its own UCP containing Siemens S400 H system (redundant) CPU’s running PCS7 (V9.0 SP2) for compressor control and protection. Also included BN3500 MMS system for bearing vibrations and temperatures.

Migration of gas turbine control system to Honeywell Experion C300-20

Commissioning and site support services for gasturbine commissioning support on DCS. The new Honeywell Experion C300-20 DCS solution replaces the aging Ovation DCS by Emerson. Gasturbine is Westinghouse make (now Siemens). Gasturbine is used on a gas fired cogeneration plant of 305MW.

Migration of DCS control system for combined cycle power plant including
 - GT fuel controls
 - auxiliaries controls
 - Commissioning of gas turbine controls on the DCS system 
 - Start-up assistance

Equipment
 - Siemens Westinghouse W501D5A gas turbine
 - Brush generator
 - Emerson Ovation (aging), Honeywell Experion C300-20 (new)

Compressor control applications for the Flash Gas and Export Gas Compressor

This exciting rejuvenation project has been carried out with our local integration partner DEM Controls in Nigeria and included a control system rejuvenation for the three stage flash gas and a two stage export gas compressor.

Control-Care's scope of supply included
- Control-Care's compressor control applications implemented within Rockwell Automation ControlLogix platform.
- Compressor vibration monitoring system, BH-BN3500 to rejuvenate the aging and obselete system BH-BN2201

The compressors control applications include:
- Antisurge Control Application (ACA) for radial process gas compressors
- Performance Control Application (PCA) controls a throttling valve posion setpoint based on desired process value.
- Compressor auxilliaries sequencing control.

Compressor control applications for a nitrogen compressor

Replacement of a steam turbine driven nitrogen compressor with an electric motor driven six stage integrally geared centrifugal compressor.

Control-Care's scope of supply was to deliver compressor control applications, Performance Control Application (PCA) and Antisurge Control Application (ACA), implemented within Yokogawa's CENTUM VP.

The compressor control application includes:
- Antisurge Control Application (ACA) for an integrally geared nitrogen compressor with sideloads.
- Performance Control Application (PCA) controls the IGV position setpoint based on desired process value.

Control-Care in action in Iraq

Project consisted of 3 trains with each train having 1 Tank Vapour (TV) radial compressor, 1 LP radial compressor  and 1 HP radial compressor. Compressor auxilliary commissioning included  lube oil system and dry gas seal system.

Total site services included:
Support for three Tank Vapour (TV) compressors including:
- Compressor control systems troubleshooting
- Mechanical commissioning support
- Compressor startup readiness

Control-Care in action in Pakistan

Site services included:
 - Control systems upgrade for a steam turbine compressor expander train
 - Replacement of the existing controller and surge detectors with a Duplex controller
 - Testing of tripping logic
 - Cold and hot loop testing
 - Compressor surge testing; Due to power constraints, only two tests were done at minimum governor speed with IGV positions of 20 % and 0 %.

Control-Care offers internships for students.

Control-Care offers student internship opportunities from three to six months to students preferably in their last or second-to-last year of a Master's degree in a diverse and technical environment.  During a research internship, you will be carrying out research as part of your thesis.

Checkout Rick Willemse, a student at Delft University of Technology, "TU Delft", sharing some insights of internship period at Control-Care.

Talent program launched for turbomachinery control specialists

What can you expect? As a participant in our talent program you will be trained as a turbomachinery controls specialist for a period of 6 months. Topics,

COMPRESSORS | STEAMTURBINES | EXPANDERS
CONTROL & PROTECTION SYSTEM PLATFORMS
HMI PLATFORMS & CONTROL APPLICATIONS
REMOTE MONITORING AND DIAGNOSTICS
SMART ASSET MANAGEMENT, and more.

A buddy engineer will be with you and you will participate in projects. 

Control-Care control specialists working in the Middle East.

Control-Care's specialists successfully sopported the turbomachinery OEM with (pre)commissioning, C&E testing, functional testing, turbine overspeed test/solo run, compressor surge validation testing, start-up assistance and troubleshooting of turbomachinry control systems. 

The project included six turbomachinery trains consisting of steam turbine driven hydrogen recycle compressors for atmospheric sulphur recution units.

Control-Care is exhibiting at NOG Conference & Exhibition in Nigeria.

Hundreds of national, regional and international exhibiting companies will be present at the NOG Exhibition showcasing the latest technologies and solutions in oil, gas, LNG, power and energy spanning exploration, production, processing, transmission, storage, distribution, generation and end use.

Access the latest industry supply chain innovations and technologies and meet with buyers and sellers from across the industry including Governments, Ministries, Regulators, IOCs, NOCs, EPCs and the entire service chain.

Control-Care supplied a steam turbine and compressor control solution based on DCS hardware. A dedicated and fault tolerant architecture, based on Honeywell’s C300 controller, with Control-Care's turbomachinery control applications was designed, engineered, supplied and commissioned. We proposed and realized a field proven technical solution and included:

• 1 ea Steam Turbine Control Application for the steam turbine drive,
• 1 ea Antisurge Control Application for the air compressor,
• Software services and modules for viewing the compressor map and application faceplates on operator console(s).

For each compressor, natural gas, syngas, ammonia refrigeration, air and CO₂ respectively, a dedicated fault tolerant PLC type controller with purposely built control applications was commissioned. In addition, control for 6 steam turbines for Syngas/Refrigerant/Air/CO2 compressors, Generator and boiler feedwater pump were part of the scope as well. Three of these steam turbines also have extraction control enabled.  The scope of this project was limited only to speed control for the turbines and anti-surge control for the compressors, but was a technical challenge in relation to the tight margins for the extraction control pressure. 

Control-Care is providing engineering and  site services, including field commissioning in 2022, support.  This includes the development, support, and maintenance of the process controls and the instrumented protection functions, with the objective of ensuring a safe, reliable, environmentally sound, optimized, and energy-efficient day to day operation. Also including keeping up to date the related controlled documents: Process Control Narratives (PCN), Instrument Safeguarding Narratives (ISN), and Cause and Effect matrices.

Control-Care has implemented an integrated compressor control system on an ABB DCS. The steam turbine drive, for one of the two blowers working in parallel, has been replaced by an ABB electrical drive, using the AC800M controller. Control-Care scope was defined to optimize blower operation by replacing existing turbomachinery control to an integrated solution on ABB's AC800M controller. Commissioning and startup of this electrification project was delayed due to Covid situation but has now been successfully completed.

Control-Care has provided site services including field commissioning support for greenfield delivery an OEM produced steam turbine generator set to Germany. In this plant, sewage waste is incinerated and thermal energy is supplied to the city's district heating. The steam generated by sludge combustion is also used to generate electricity. Control-Care acted as site supervisor and responsibilities included successfull commissioning of the steam turbine and generator. Click on the picture for further details.

Control-Care has provided site installation and field commissioning support for the delivery of two OEM produced gasturbine compressor set to Latin America. Full site support services were provided for the installation of gasturbine, compressor, mechanical machinery alignment, coolers, lube oil system, ventilators, silencers, turbine air intake, valves and compressor nozzles. Project was original posted in February 2020 and second unit was recently completed. Click on the picture for further details.

From a compressor control optimalization study performed in 2019 by Control-Care, to project execution phase in 2021 for an FPSO located in the United Kingdom. Involved in this study and execution phase were two variable speed centrifugal compressors used for oil gas separation installed on board.  Essential control system modifications were made to the 25+ year old control philosophy and PLC system for both compressors to improve operability of the units, increase production and to reduce downtime of the units due to unexpected process trips.  The new control strategy was flawlessly implemented offshore following a thorough (remote) FAT using the end user’s spare controllers with end user’s PLC software staged in Control-Care’s premises.  

Control-Care has successfully provided augmented reality (AR) remote assistance services for calibration, troubleshooting and testing of the main steam control valves on two 150MW steam turbine generator (STG) units for AboitizPower subsidiary Therma South, Inc. in Davao, Philippines. Due to covid travel restrictions our engineers could not be present on site. This remote assistance solution has enabled the end-user to still carry out the required activities effectively and accurately, without jeopardizing the turn-around schedule. The end-user’s engineer was carrying the AR remote assistance tool, whilst the Control-Care expert was monitoring and providing instructions from the headquarters in The Netherlands. The AR remote assistance tool is suitable for harsh industrial environments and ensures a safe working environment since it enables the user to still operate “hands-free”.

Control-Care successfully supported an Independent Service Provider ("ISP") during a minor steam turbine inspection / maintenance. Control-Care's specialist(s) were assigned, via an independent service provider (mechanical), to the turnaround team during a scheduled minor inspection. The scope included removal, cleaning & inspection of mechanical parts of the turbines. Installation and adjustment of all instrumentation, valves and controls, re-assembly of all mechanical equipment and start up.  Control-Care's support activities also included operational support after unit start up.

Control-Care successfully supported an Independent Service Provider ("ISP") during a scheduled turnaround. Control-Care's specialist(s) were assigned, via an independent service provider (mechanical), to the turnaround team during a major nitrogen compressor overhaul. Turnaround services included (dis)connecting of E-Motor, IGV's and PCV&ACV, oilpump(s) and other transmitters such as pressure and temperature transmitters on coolers and compressor. The work was performed under supervision and direction of the independent service provider and included troubleshooting,  system I/O checks and loop checks, software functional and interlock testing and to provide operational support as the plant was re-started for production.

Comprehensive scope of field services delivered by Control-Care’s engineer for compressors on a gas processing plant.  Executed work involved review and analysis of operating values in accordance with trends and process gas compressor unit event logs. Functional check of alarm, protection system, surge control system, operation of control valves. Required sensors and cables of gas compressor unit were demounted and re-installed together with the local mechanical engineer. Functionality of oil supply system was checked and documented. The project was finalized after commissioning of the control system and support during compressor start up.

Control-Care successfully supported the compressor OEM with I&C works in preparation for a FAT of a three-stage centrifugal compressor on an FPSO. The FPSO, currently under construction, will be capable of processing 90,000 barrels of crude oil per day, 75 million cubic feet of gas per day, 120,000 barrels of water injection per day and have a storage capacity of 900,000 barrels of crude oil. The scope for the OEM included the testing and support services for Inconel 625 cladding of casing and covers, Fix Speed Electrical Motor, Gear Box, Lube Oil System, Couplings for HS and LS shaft, Seal Gas Panel, Unit Control Panel (UCP), Anti-Surge Control Valves and Suction Throttling Valves.

Control-Care's DCS specialist(s) were seconded, via the main automation contractor, to the end user's project team during a major DCS control system hardware and software upgrade. The DCS control system's main hardware was upgraded. The PC based operator and engineering workstations were upgraded to a server and thin client architecture. The work was performed under supervision and direction of the main automation contractor and included firmware downloads, software patches and modifications, control system configuration and troubleshooting,  system I/O checks and loop checks, software functional and interlock testing and to provide operational support as the plant was re-started for production.

Trouble shooting and diagnose fuel metering valves used on gasturbine(s) after oxidation problems had been reported. Inspect the current set-up, advise root cause and advise on preventive actions e.g. inspection of the installation, proper installation and support, correct installation of the vent line(s), properly sized power cables of the correct wire gauge for the length of the cable, etc. Provided services included recommendations on periodic maintenance activities and software changes.

Project management, engineering, documentation and hardware delivery for the replacement of the existing surge detection system for an axial air compressor and an NOx compressor. The existing software functionality will be transferred to the new safety PLC using Control-Care's SPA Surge Protection Application , which will run on a triple redundant Safety PLC, and as independent tasks in a two out of three-selection scenario. Existing and dedicated transmitters surge protection transmitters will be replaced by new temperature and pressure transmitters. Selected platform and software tasks are Control-Care's Compressor SPA Surge Protection Application on a triple redundant Rockwell Automation's Compact GuardLogix PLC. 

Voor de eindgebruiker is het een groot voordeel dat deze regelingen niet langer dure en specialistische systemen hoeven te zijn maar dat deze in een PLC geïntegreerd kunnen worden welke ook voor procesregeling gebruikt kan worden. Control-Care is gespecialiseerd in compressor antisurge- en stoomturbineregelingen en heeft in samenwerking met De Gidts & Feldman hun jarenlange ervaring gebruikt bij het ontwikkelen van speciale functieblokken voor de Honeywell ControlEdge PLC, waarin speciale regelalgoritmes zijn geïntegreerd. Lees het volledige artikel gepubliceerd in processcontrol editie oktober 2020.

Control-Care completed and realized an integrated compressor control and protection system on a plant DCS which was sold in 2019. A greenfield project adding a new depletion gas compressor to an existing exploration site in New Zealand. Customer quote: "We are very pleased about the functionality of both ACA & PCA applications as well as the professionalism & technical capability that Engineer A & B demonstrated throughout the cold and hot commissioning phases. From project side I am also very pleased about the overall quality and tidiness of supplied deliverables, control system configuration and MOC procedure applied. In general, a very well executed job despite the COVID challenge." 

With the rapid advancement of microprocessor technology, there is a shift in process control and turbomachinery control towards a software-based solution. When replacing or upgrading (obsolete) turbomachinery control systems, integrating process automations systems for turbomachinery controls provides multiple benefits. It increases the reliability of a customer’s machinery and process. Read the full article.

Control-Care provided an interactive training course to a team of engineers at Chemelot park in Geleen. Dynamic compressor simulation was used to demonstrate compressor behaviour, surge detection and compressor control applications. Sharing turbomachinery controls knowledge and insights directly to the team enabled the engineers to apply insights to their own practices.

Control-Care has received the order for a steam turbine controls integration into the plant’s DCS. This is the second order from this refinery in the Netherlands after successful implementation of the first steam turbine control system into the plant’s DCS. In Control-Care scope is supply is project software engineering of the control system application including HMI screens and application configuration. Commissioning and Startup is scheduled for later this year.

Control-Care has upgraded the control and protection system of the second Mitsui steam turbine driving a large fan (blower) on one of the largest phosphate mining and processing plant in Morocco. Our scope of delivery includes the unit control panel with our Steam Turbine Control Application (STCA) in a redundant PLC, overspeed protection device, governor valve actuators and trip valve actuator and speed sensors. This is the second unit after the first was done back in 2018.

Control-Care has provided site installation and field commissioning support for the delivery of a OEM produced gasturbine compressor set to Latin America. Full site support services were provided for the installation of gasturbine, compressor, mechanical machinery alignment, coolers, lube oil system, ventilators, silencers, turbine air intake, valves and compressor nozzles.